Multiple nozzle spray head



Dec. 4, 1951 F. w. wAHLlN MULTIPLE NOZZLE SPRAY HEAD Filed April 26, 1949 gdm/ Patented Dec. 4, 1951 UNITED MULTIPLE NOZZLE SPRAY HEAD Fred W. Wahlin, Oak Park, Ill., assignor to Spraying Systems Co., Bellwood, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application April 26,1949, Serial No. 89,591

3 Claims. 1 My invention relates to a multiple nozzle spray head having an internally chambered portion thereof providing a turret for a plurality of separate outwardly directed nozzles which arev arranged at spaced intervals therearound, this invention having reference more particularly to a pneumatic atomizing spraying head whereinV air and liquid are supplied separately to each nozzle from the interior of the turret portion and discharged together in a manner to atomize the liquid as it is sprayed.

For insecticide spraying, space humidiiication and other similar purposes, a simple spraying unit is desirable which will effect widespread dispersion of the exterminating liquid, humidifying liquid or other sprayed liquid throughout a large area around the unit. Thus a large space may be exposed to the spray from a single centrally located unit.

For such purposes, it is essential that the liquid be sprayed in such a minutely or highly atomized condition that it will diffuse readily and uniformly throughout the surrounding atmosphere and be absorbed thereby without any precipitation. No satisfactory spraying device has been available for this purpose. It is an object of my invention to provide a spray head or spraying unit for such centralized spraying which is highly eliicient and insures uniform, Widespread dispersion of the sprayed liquid throughout a large area in a non-precipitable state of atomization. Other objects of my invention are to provide a multiple nozzle atomizing unit or spray head of simple compact construction which may be readily manufactured at low cost; to insure equalized distribution of air and liquid to all the spray outlets; to construct the unit or spray head so that the parts thereof are' readily accessible; and to provide a unit of this character which is adaptable ;for permanent installation or as an attachment on a jar or container from which the sprayed liquid is supplied, these and other objects being accomplished as pointed out more fully hereinafter and as shown in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side view of a spray head embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the spray head taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of the upper portion of Fig. 3 but showing modied spraying facilities;

Fig. 5 is a side view of a modified form of spray head embodying my invention and adapted to be used with a jar type of liquid container;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 but showing the container supporting stirrup in retracted position for applying or removing the jar; and

Fig. 7 is an enlarged sectional view on the line `l-1 of Fig; 5 4with a portion broken away.

AHI

Referring now to the drawing and particularly Figs. 1, 2 and 3 thereof, the spray head or unit comprises a main body member II, a turret ring I2 and a retaining screw I3 by which the ringv I2 is secured to the body Il.

The body member I I is provided with two separate inlets I4 and I 5 leading inwardly respectively from the opposite sides of the body II to separate cylindrical strainer chambers I6 and I1 respectively, which extend upwardly in the body I I from the lower end thereof. The inlet I4 supplies the liquid to be sprayed and the inlet l5 supplies air for atomizing the sprayed liquid and each inlet I4 and I5 has an internally threaded enlargement at the outer end for connection with a piping system through which the liquid and air are supplied respectively. The outer end enlargement of the inlet I5 is shown at I8 in Fig. 1, and it is to be understood that there is a similar enlargement of the inlet I4 at the opposite side'of the body Il.

The top end of the body I I has a flat face for a gasket sealed connection with the iiat bottom face of the turret ring I2, which is secured on the body I I by the headed retaining screw I3 which is threaded at its lower end into an internally threaded opening I9 centrally located inthe top i of the body Il. The strainer chamber I6 has at its upper end an extension 20 of reduced diameter, and a lateral passageway 2l leads from the upper portion of the extension 20 to the cen'- tral opening I9 to provide communication therebetween.

An annular chamber 22 is provided in the upper end of the body I I concentrically around the central opening I9 and the strainer chamber I1 has at its upper end an extension 23 of reduced diameter which communicates at its upper end with the chamber 22. Each strainer chamber IB and II is internally threaded at its lower end and closed by a threaded plug 24 of a strainer assembly. y Each strainer assembly is alike and comprises a cylindrical strainer screen 25 mounted on a tubular screen holder 26 which latter is secured at its lower end to one of the plugs 24 and at its upper end is reduced in diameter, as indicated at 21, and iits closely within the lower end of the re'- spective openings .I9 and 22. The screen 25 is of an external diameter suii'iciently less than the diameter of the respective strainer chamber I 6 or I1 to provide ample circulation space therearound and the tubular screen holder 29 is provided with a series of longitudinally spaced transverse slots 28 at each diametrical side thereof through which fluid passing through the screen 25 from the respective chamber I 6 or I1 is communicated to the central opening 29 of the tubular screen holder 26 and from this opening 29 to the respective open ing 20 or 23 of the body I I.

The screen 25 ts snugly on the holder 26 above and below the zone of the-slots '28, as indicated at 30, end preferably also midway-betweensuccessive slots; as at 3|',` the holder being reduced in external diameter at the location of each opposite pair of slots 28 to provide a relatively wide` circulation space 32 around the holder between the holder and screen at each slot location;

The turret ring I2 has an annular chamber 33 therein and opening through'the bottom face of said ring so as to communicate with the annular chamber 22 of the body II, a gasket 34, which is interposed between the' ring I2and body II, being provided with apertures 35 which permit ample circulation between said chambers 22 and23.-

The.. formation of the turret ring. I2 with the annular chamber 33 provides said ring with concentric wallsv 36 and 31 at the inner and outer sides respectively of the annular chamber 33 and said inner wall 36 has an annular. series of openings extending therethrough in each of which is securedV a small nozzle tube 38. which extends outwardly throughV the. chamber 33' and. through a. corresponding opening 39 in the outer annular walll 37, each opening` 39 beinglarger than. and concentric with the respective tube 38 to provide an annular discharge opening, from the chamber 33, around the outer end of each nozzle tube 38.

The outer surface of the turret ring I2` is faced l` oliV flat at each nozzle location, as indicated at 4',.so thatthe nozzle end projects uniformly, all the way around, beyond the face 40 and the outer end of thenozzle tube 38is internally. beveled as intervals around the ring I2. It is to be understoo.d,.however, thatthe number of nozzles may be increased or decreased, depending on the size ofthe ring I2 and. the volume and distribution of spray desired. The stem of retaining screw I3,.throughout a portion ofY the length of the center opening of the. ring I2, is of'a diameter less than that of said center opening so as to provide an annular chamber 4I with-which all of the nozzle tubes 38 communicate at their inner ends, and the. retaining screwl stem has a central bore 42, the lower end of which opens into. the central opening I9 of the body I I, and this central Vbore 42 has a plurality of radial' ports 43 leading from the closed upper end thereofI into the annular chamber 4l. The spraying unit above described is of Siphon type and the liquid to be sprayed is suppliedto `the nozzles 38 by the suction created by the air discharge through the annular air. outlets 39 around the outer ends ofy the nozzles 38.

The air is suppliedunder pressure through the inlet I5 to the strainer chamber I1 and. passes therefrom through the strainer screen 25 and screerr holder 26 of'that chamber and through the passageway 23 and annular chamber 22 to the annular chamber 33v of the turret ringv I2, and from the latter chamber the air is discharged through the annular outlet 39.

This. air discharge from. each outlet 39 exhausts air from the'nozzle. 38 in. the respective outlet and creates suction which draws the liquid into the strainer chamber I6 throughv the inlet I4 and from the chamber I6 through thestrainer screen.25 and `screenholder 26 of that chamber I6 and through the passageways 20, 2I, I9, 42

4and 43 into the annular chamber 4I from which itisdistributed toand dischargedfrom all ofthe nozzles intothe discharging airifrom respective outlet 39. and thereby highly atomized and projected outwardly from each nozzle.

If the liquid is supplied under pressure to the spray unit, a turret ring is employed as shown at 44 in Fig. 4, which is exactly the same as the turret ring I2 ofv Figs. 1, 2 and 3 except that the outer annular wall thereof, which said wall is indicated at 45, is provided with a large threaded opening 46 around the outer end of each nozzle InlandV each threaded opening 46 has a threaded plug 41 engaged therein and provided with a central opening 48, into which the respective nozzle 38 projects. Said central opening 48- is concentric with and of a diameter greater than that of the nozzle 38 therein so as to provide an annular air passageway around the outer end of the nozzle, andat a distance beyond the outer end of' the nozzle the central opening 46 iscontracted to a smaller size as indicated at 49. The inner end of the opening 48 is also flaredy as ndicatedat 50.

In Figs. 7, 8 and 9' I have shown a modification of my above described invention forV use in connection with an attached'jar from which the liquid is supplied to the spraying unit.

This modification is of siphon type. like the unit of Figs. 1, 2 and 3 andis composed of .a body 5I with a plurality of radial nozzles 52' substantially midway between the ends of the body, the upper end of which has an internally threaded opening 53 for attachment to a pipe (notshown),

p by which this unit is supported and through which air under pressure is supplied to the unit for the spraying operation, and the lower end of which said body has asheet metal cap 54 perma. nently secured thereto for supporting and enclosing the upper end of the jar from which the liquid is supplied to the sprayingunit.

This cap 54 has a stirrup 55 pivoted thereto at opposite sides, as indicated at 56, and adapted to support a'jar 5l with the jar neck 58 within the cap 54. This stirrup 55 has a cross strap 59 at the bottom with upturned ends 65 for holding the jar 5l in place on the stirrup.

The lower end of the body 5I has a tube 6I threaded into the lower end thereof and this tube 6I has a threaded lower end for attachment thereto of abent tube 62 of a length to extend down nearly to the bottom of the jar on the stirrup 55 and the tube. 62 has a head 63 on the lower end containing a strainer 64 through which liquid is drawninto the tube 62 from the jar.

The. tube 6I which is directly attached to the body 5I has a shoulder 65 above the threaded lower endproviding a stop for avjar covering disk 65v which. is slidably mounted on the tube 6I and resiliently held against said stop shoulder 65 by a coil spring 66- which encirclesthe tube. 6I and is engaged at its upper end in an annular seat 61 in the lower end-of the. body 5I- around the tube 6I and is engaged at its lower end against the cover disk 65.

With this arrangement, the jar 51 is placed in position by rst swinging the stirrup 55 to the side, as shownin Fig. 6, and placing the mouth of the jar against the bottom of the cover disk around the depressed portion 68 thereof after which the jar 5l is pushed upwardly to compress the spring 66 suciently to-swing the stirrup to a position directly underneath the bottom ofthe jar 51, whereupon the spring 66 is permitted to depress the'jar to-seat on the stirrup 55-between the upturned ends 60 of the cross strapY 59.

The cover disk 65. thus clamps againstuand closes the mouth of the jar 51 but does not have a sealing engagement therewith as it is necessary to have sufficient leakage therebetween for air relief so that the contents of the jar 51 may be siphoned therefrom.

Above the location of the nozzles 52, the body 5l has a relatively large central bore 68 leading downwardly therein from the threaded opening 53 and terminating in an annular chamber E9 around a central cylindrical domev 16 with a wall portion 1l of the body extending therearound.

This dome has a central cavity in communication with the tube 6| and the nozzles 62 are secured at their inner ends in the dome 10 in communication with said central cavity thereof and each nozzle projects radially outwardly from the dome 10 through the annular chamber E8 and through an opening 12 in the surrounding wall portion 1I, said opening 12 being sufficiently larger than the nozzle tube 52 to provide an annular air outlet around the outer end of the nozzle.

Preferably a strainer assembly is provided in the upper end of the body 5| and supported by a ring 13 engaged in an enlargement of the central bore 68 immediately below the larger threaded opening 53.

This ring 13 has an internally threaded central opening in which is secured the threaded lower end of a tubular screen holder 14 which is closed at its upper end and opens'at its lower end into the bore opening E8 below the ring 13.

This screen holder 14 has slots in the side wall I thereof like the slots 28 of the Fig. 3 structure and also is annularly recessed at the slot locations to provide circulation spaces like the spaces 32 of the Fig. 3 structure. and is surrounded by a cylindrical screen 15 which is confined between an annular flange 16 at the top of the holder 14 and the ring 13 in which the holder is screwed.

When this unit is secured, by the threaded connection 53, to a pipe which supplies air under pressure, and a jar 51 containing a liquid to be sprayed is located in position on the stirrup 55, the air passes through the screen 15 and holder 'M into the bore opening 63 and annular chamber 69 and is discharged from the latter chamber through the annular outlets 12 around the outer ends of the nozzle tubes 52.

This air discharge exhausts air from the tubes 52 and creates suction therein which si-phons liquid through the tubes 62 and 6I into the interior of the dome 1B from which it is discharged through all the nozzle tubes in a finely atomized spray commingled with the air discharge from the opening 12.

While I have shown and described my invention in several preferred forms, I am aware that various changes or modifications may be made therein without departing from the principles of my invention, the sco-pe of which is to be determined by the appended claims.

What is claimed:

1. A spraying unit comprising a main body portion, a removable spray head thereon, and a retaining screw whereby the spray head is attached to the main body portion, said spray head having a central opening therethrough and an annular chamber spaced from and encircling said central opening, a plurality of nozzles at intervals around the spray head and extending radially from said central openings through said chamber, said retaining screw being engaged through the central opening in the spray head and with the main body portion and having a passageway therein communicating axially with a passageway in the main body portion and radially with the nozzles, said annular chamber in said spray head having an opening therefrom communicating with another passageway in the main body portion, each of said passageways in the main body portion leading to the exterior of said body portion and each having another external outlet with strainer means removably inserted therethrough into the respective passageways.

2. A multiple spray device of the class described which has a plurality of nozzles radially disposed at intervals therearound and comprising a one-piece nozzle holder which has a central cylindrical opening and an annular groove around said opening and inner and outer walls at the inner and outer sides respectively of the annular groove, said walls, opening and an'nular groove being concentric with one another and said groove opening through one side of the nozzle holder and the central cylindrical opening being vextended through the opposite side of the holder,

said inner wall having radial openings therethrough in which the inner ends of the nozzles are secured and said outer wall having openings therethrough which are larger than and encircle the nozzles and provide around each nozzle an annular passageway which opens directly into said annular groove.

3. A multiple spray device of the class described which has a plurality of nozzles radially disposed. at intervals therearound and comprising a onepiece nozzle holder which has a central cylindrical opening and an annular groove around said opening and inner and outer walls at the inner and outer sides respectively of the annular groove, said walls, opening and annular groove being concentric with one another and said groove opening through one side of the nozzle holder and the central cylindrical opening being extended through the opposite side of the holder, said inner wall having radial openings therethrough in which the inner ends of the nozzles are secured and said outer wall having openings therethrough which are larger than and' encircle the nozzles and provide around each nozzle anl annular passageway which opens directly into said annular groove, a body by which said nozzle holder is supported, a cap screwl which extends through the central opening of the nozzle holder and closes one end of said opening, said cap screw having at the other end of said central opening a threaded engagement with the body by which that side of the nozzle holder which has the annular groove opening therethrough is clamped against the body, said body having two separate passageways therethrough which communicate respectively with the central opening and the annular groove of the nozzle holder.

FRED W. WAHLIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the iile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,238,513 Hammel Aug. 28, 1917 1,625,635 Willners Apr. 19, 1927 1,796,130 Szodomka Mar. 10, 1931 1,813,623 Jansky July '7, 1931 2,239,068 Wood Apr. 22, 1941 

